From couch potato to marathon maniac

January 27, 2016February 7, 2016

The Journey to becoming a No-Meat-Athlete

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates

My 200+ lb. carnivore self.

We’ve all heard it, “you are what you eat”. I use to ignore the phrase and chalk it up as nothing more than a cute quote on the school’s cafeteria poster. It wasn’t until I found myself weighing over 200 pounds that I finally took a closer look at the food I was putting into my body. Why did I feel so sluggish and had a stomach that made me look pregnant? Could the pizza, chocolate, and soda be making that much of an impact on my body?

My transition was a slow one. I first started with “healthier” food options such as low fat foods, reduced calorie, etc. This coupled with light exercise began making big changes in my body. I quickly started noticing changes in my energy, body, and confidence. After losing 35 pounds, I even completed my first sprint triathlon. I was feeling great, but I wanted more!

Sprint tri after losing 35 lbs.

My in-laws were the first who suggested that I watch the documentary Forks Over Knives. This documentary made me take an even closer look at the food I was feeding myself. What would happen if I eliminated meat and began eating more whole, plant-based foods?

It was two years into my health journey and I had lost about a total of 50 pounds. After watching Forks Over Knives in January 2012, I decided to take my nutrition to the next level and to eliminate meat. This also happened to coincide with the start of training for my first marathon. Fast forward five months and I lost an additional 15 pounds to make my total weight loss 65 pounds.

Coming across the finish line of my first marathon after losing 65 pounds.

It’s now been four years and I am still a no-meat-athlete. There have been several documentaries that have helped fuel me to continue my vegetarian ways:

Currently, I incorporate Jason Vale’s juicing recipes into my everyday routine. My husband and I both drink a “thick” smoothie for breakfast, a “thin” juice for lunch, and another “thick” smoothie for an afternoon snack. As for dinner, we eat a well-balanced vegetarian meal.

I attribute my ability to keep off the weight (for the most part) with the maintenance of a vegetarian diet. There are some who become “carbetarian” when they become vegetarian, but not me. In our household, in fact, we rarely eat bread.

Some ask, “Are your husband and kids vegetarian too?”

I respond, “Yes, when they are home.” The truth of the matter is, however, that I do sometimes cook meat for my family. I’ll serve them turkey burgers and I’ll eat veggie burgers. They’ll eat meatballs with their spaghetti, whereas my pasta will have steamed veggies. Now that Jason Vale as come out with a new app, the Super Fast Food app, I am excited to try more vegetarian recipes that hopefully the whole family will love!

The vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is not for everyone, but it definitely is for me!